Metallic wheelbarrow



2v sheets-sheet 1.

(No Moiel.)

J. ANNIN.

METALLIGWHBELBARROW,

PatentedApr. 2, 1889.v

- No.v 400,534'.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. ANNIN. METALLIC WHEELBARROWL No. 400,534. Patented Apr. 2, 18891 nvm/wwfsns, Pnnwmnnmpm. war-imm. o: c,

EEicE.

PATENT JOSEPH ANNIN, OFV BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

METALLIC WH EELBA'RROW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,534, dated April 2, 1889. Application filed March 5, 1886. Serial No. 194,186 (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOSEPH ANNIN, a citi- Vzen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Metallic Wheelbarrows and Trucks, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to that class of barrows or trucks in which the side frame or handle-bars are made of iron pipe bent at the rear ends to form the handles and curved ,in a downward bend vat the front to receive the bearings for the wheel below the body of the barrow.

The invention consists in the peculiar combinations and the construction, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed. l

ln the drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of my improvedbarrow adapted for carrying pig-iron, the dotted lines showing its position when turned up to dump the load forward. Fig. 2 is a r'plan view of the barrow, and Fig. 3 an enlarged cross-section thereof 'on line oc Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sect-ion of the handle end of the handlebarsn Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a hopperbarrow for coal or other loose material embodying the same improvements, except as to the form of the platform. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the' wheel-supporting clip and its removable axle-box. Fig. 7 is a plan of the axle-box removed. Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the clip with the axle-box shown removed below it. 1

Referring to Figs. l, 2, and 3, B B indicate the handle or side bars of the barrow, which are made, Ias usual, of wrought -iron pipe. These bars or pipes are secured in malleableiron clasps or clips h b c c, which are secured on the ends of two wrought-iron cross-bars, d

c, which underlie the tray platform or hopper A of the barrow, this part of the construction being the same in both forms of barrow shown in Figs. l and 5, and such as claimed in my pending application, Serial No. 162,354, iiled April 15, 1885.'

f f are the legs of the barrow, which are made of a wrought-iron bar bent in the form of a V,.with one end socket-ed in a groove or recess in the clips Z9 and bolted thereto, while the other end is bolted to the cross-bar e in the manner shown in my former application. The legs are braced crosswise by an A-shaped arrangement of brace-bars,j, (shown in Fig. 3,) similar to what I have heretofore shown.

The tray or hopperA of the barrow (shown in Fig. 5) is made, as usual, of sheet-iron secured to the cross-bars d e, preferably in two pieces, the bottom being made in one piece of greater thickness, and the sides in a second piece of less t-hickness, bent into form and riveted to the bottom piece, as shown in my former patent,No. 305,879, dated September 30, 1884. In myleading form of barrow, (shown in Fig. 1,) however, the tray A, instead of being made of a continuous sheet of iron is made up of a series of thin parallel wrought-iron bars, h h, set up edgewise on the cross-bars d c, and secured thereto at three points by the angleirons` or brackets g g, as seen best in Fig. 3, the bars 77. h being secured firmly together by the stay-bolts t' t' at four points, as seen in Figs. l and The stay-bolts i pass transversely through the entire series of bars, as seen in Fig. 3, which are held on the said bolts at the proper distance apart by intervening collars or washers 7c 7s, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The tray-bars 7L h are not straight throughoutbut are bent at or near the middle in a V form, so that the rear part of the tray is level, while thefront part inclines diagonally forward over the wheel, as shown in Fig. l'. l prefer to combine a series of different forms of wrought-iron bars in the said tray, as shown best in Fig. 3, the center bar being a T-bar,the two outer bars being angle-bars, while the bars between are partly channelirons and partly plain flat bars, and are all sov placed as to form a level top to the tray, the level or horizontal part of the angle T and channel-bars being ona line, as shown in Fig. 3. It may now be seen that this form of tray is not only very light, but exceedingly strong, as it is composed of a series of iron bars set up edgewise in the position of greatest strength and greatest range of wear, and is thus admirably adapted for the carriage of pig-iron and similar heavy weights, as it is'not'likely to be bent or dented by the shock of the pigs in loading or unloading', and is thus very substantial and durable.

It will be seen that by having angle-bars at the extreme edges of the tray, as seen in Fig.

IOO

3, additional strength is secured at the edges where most required, and the edge bars are thus made to overhang and project beyond all other parts of the underlying frame, which is an advantage, as it insures more easy loading and unloading and protects the under frame from contact with the pigs.

Referring now to Fig. l, it will be seen that the frame-tubes B are cranked or bent up at the rear ends to form the handles of the barrow, and are also bent in a downward doublecranked bend at the front, at the point c, to receive the bearings for the wheel m. The sli ghtlycurved middle of the bends a are embraced by the bisected clips l l, as seen in Figs. l and 5, and enlarged in Figs. 6 and S, and are firmly held in place by the bolts ln, the said clips carrying the axleboxes 0, in which the axle of the wheel is journaled.

In my former barrows the axle-box was integral with the clips; but in my present improvement it is made separate, as seen best at o in Figs. 7 and S, the clips Z l having a rectangular recess, q, at the base to receive said boxes. (Seen by dotted lines in Fig. 6 and full lines in Fig. 8.) The box o is a substantially rectangular block of malleable iron having a round bore to receive the journal end of the axle and a square exterior to fit the recess q, with fianges p extending beyond the square to overlap the socket in the clip, as seen in Figs. G and 7, the flanges being secured to the clips by the pins or rivets o. By this means it will be seen that the wearable part of the wheel-bearings or axlebox proper is made removable, and when worn out can be easily displaced by removing the pins r and replaced by a new box at small cost without having to remove the entire clip, as was the case with the former construction.

Now, referring again to Figs. l and 5, it may be seen that the bend a in the pipe A, to receive the wheel-bearings, is made much lower than usual and much nearer to the center of the barrow than usual, and it is so proportioned and disposed as to bring the center of the wheel far below the eenter of gravity vertically and close to it horizontally, so that a line drawn through the center of gravity will make an acute angle with a vertical line through the center of the wheel, as shown bythe dotted lines .fr and y in Figs. l and 5. The point a: indicates the center of gravity of the barrow, and it will be seen that the arc between that and the vertical center line is not much over fortyfive degrees, or usually about fifty degrees; hence it will be only necessary to raise the barrow through that small arc to make it balance on the axle, as indicated by the first dotted position in Fig. l, at which position the load will commence to dump forward,and by continuing to tilt the barrow a little farther forward the whole load maybe easily dumped straight forward over the wheel and deposited on the ground or door in front of the barrow. It will therefore be seen that by reason of this position of the center of gravity relatively to the axle, and the small are of motion necessary for dumping forward, this dumping motion is within the convenient and easy scope or reach of a mans arms reaching forward, as .indicated in Fig. l, and that, furthermore,l the direct forward thrust of both arms may be used in this dumping movement, which is, in fact, the strongest, easiest, and most natural movement of the human arms in exertion.l On the contrary, when the barrow is dumped si'dewise almost all the strain is exerted by one arm on one handle of the barrow, and with a sidewise twist, which is not easy or natural. lt will be further seen that not only does this construction enable the barro'w to be dumped by the easy forward reach of the arms, but besides this the leverage at the handles over the load is greatly in favor of the workman and is at a ratio of about six to one, as may be readily seen by referring to Figs. -l and 5. Hence this barrow, when loaded, is very easily handled on account of the small proportionate weight borne at the handles, and as it is tipped up to dump the load the strain at the handles becomes less and less until it is practically nothing at the position 0f balance, when the workman has the load under perfect control, and by a slight additional forward movement may then dump it straight forward in front of the wheel, which willigenerally deposit the load much nearer the desired locality than can be done by dumping sidewise.

Previous to my invention all b'arrows of this class were adapted to dump sidewise only, which strains the barrow greatly, requires much more exertion and is much less convenient, and moreover the workman has to exert the greatest strain and care at the moment of dumping, whereas in my improved barrow the barrow is balanced just before the moment of dumping, and the strain is also equalized thereon and requires but slight exertion to effect the dumping, thus rendering the barrow at all times under perfect and easy control of the workman, which are great advantages.

Now, in order to prevent the barrow tipping over too far or recoiling when the load is dumped, I form the forward end of the pipes B with an additional bend, s, as seen in Figs. l and 5, which bends are directed out beyond the wheel and diagonally downward, the terminal end of the pipes beyond said bend being finally riveted to the tray of the barrow, as usual. These bends s s form knees or rests, which will strike the ground in advance of the wheel and thus support'the barrow in the overturned or dumped position, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. l and 5, and thus prevent any recoil of the wheel or of the body of the barrow backward against the IOO IIO

workmans feet or body, which is a very desirable feature in the practical working of the barrow.

It is well known that when metal-han dled trucks or barrows are used out-of-doors in tube, as shown in Fig. 4. I prefer, as wellshown in Fig. 4c, to reduce the handle end of the tubes B by rolling the same down to a reduced diameter, and I then force the paper tubes t on the reduced parts, making them of sufficient thickness to come about Hush with the unreduced part of the tubes, as illustrated, thereby producing a neat appearance and affixing the non-conducting handle securely to the metal tubes without increasing the size of the handle from the usual. Apaper handle of the described kind possesses great advantages in lightness, toughness, durability, and non-conductivity, and greatly adds to the value of the barrow, for not only does it make the grasp on the barrow more pleasant and secure, but enables the barrow to behandled in the coldest Weather without any difficulty, which is a greatv advantage over the metal handles heretofore used. Not only is this non-conducting handle of great value in cold weather, but it is equally so in hot weather, particularly in hot countries, in which it has been impossible heretofore to use metal barrows Without protection for the hands, as the metal 'gets sufficiently heated when exposed to the sun as to be insupportable to the naked hands. By means of my improved paper handle not only can the barrow be handledeasily in the coldest or hottest weather or climate, but the material affords greater frictional adhesion for the hand than is the case with iron, and is particularly tough and durable.

I am aware that rawhide has been used to cover the iron handles of barrows; but this is affected by the weather, being softened and weakened by wet and shrunken by heat and dryness, whereas the toughened or parchmentized paper is proof to all weathers and all atmospheric temperatures, is a better non-conductor, has greater strength, is more durable, and is cheaper, and thus forms an improved handle. Y`

i Several of my improvements herein described apply .of course equally well to wheeled trucks as to barrows, and as concerns several features of my invention I consider a truckthe equivalent of a barrow.

l. A wheelbarrow having its tray or platform made of a series of parallel iron bars set up edgewise and secured together, substantially as set forth.

2. A wheelbarrow having its tray or platform made of a series of iron bars, 71I h, setup edgewise and secured together in parallel lines, but bent at or about the middle, so that one half of the bars extends inclined to the other half, substantially as set forth.

3. A wheelbarrow having its tray or platform made of a series of parallel iron bars set up edgewise and securedV together, the outer or marginal bars being angle-irons arranged substantially as shown and described.

4. A Wheelbarrow having its tray or platform made of a series of parallel iron bars set up edgewise and secured together, the middle bar being a T- iron and the outer marginal bars angle-irons, arranged substantially as shown and described.

5. In a wheelbarrow, the combination, with the side bars or tubes, B, and cross-bars d e, secured thereto, of the tray-bars h, set up edgewise thereon in parallel [iles and secured thereto, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of the side bars,'BB, clips b c, cross-bars d e, and tray-bars 71, 7i, secured together, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a wheelbarrow orits equivalent, the combination, with axle clips or bearings vformed with a recess or socket, of the removable aXle-boxes o 0, arranged to fit into said sockets, and a fastening to hold the same in.

-with the side bars, B, of the bearing-clips l,

arranged to be clasped thereon and formed with a recess or socket, q, of the removable axle-boxes o o, having awaistto fit said socket and overlapping flanges p p to embrace the clip, and a fastening to secure the box in IOO IIO

place and permit of its removal and renewal,

with a tube or sheath of non-conducting material incasing the reduced endl and secured thereto iiush, or nearly so, with the remainder of the bar, substantially as shown and described.

l2. In a truck or barrow, the combination, with the metallic tubular side bars, B B, rolled or reduced in diameter at the handle ends, of the paper Inubes secured on said reduced parts and forming non-conducting handles thereon, substantially as shown and described.

1S. In combination with the metallic side or handle bars of a truck or barrow, sections of lronghened paper, of the naturel of parchmentized, vulcanized, or gelatinized ber, selo cured to the ends of the metallic tubes and forming non-conducting, tough, and durable grasping-handles thereon, substantially as set forth.

JCSEPII ANNIN. Vitnesses:

JNO. E. GAVIN, (THAs. M. HIGGINS. 

